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Chapter Twoof Australia provides for honorary awards tobe recommended for foreign citizens who havemade contributions of significant benefit to theAustralian community or humanity at large. ThePrime Minister recommends honorary awards tothe Governor‐General for approval, and the Branchis the conduit for these nominations.Tables showing the number of nominationsconsidered and awards conferred for the Order ofAustralia and the Australian Bravery Decorationsin 2011–12, and the total number of nominationsand awards since 1975, are at Appendices B andC respectively. Appendix D shows the numberof other award types made during the year foroutstanding achievement in specific fields of activity,as well as totals since 1975.The Governor-General presided over nineinvestiture ceremonies for Australian awardrecipients in 2011–12 (see Investitures page 26).The Honours and Awards Branch assisted StateGovernors, the Northern Territory Administratorand heads of Australian diplomatic missions overseasto conduct investitures for many other recipients in2011–12. The Branch contacted the relevant offices,provided media and guidance notes, and organisedand dispatched insignia.One such investiture was conducted by HisExcellency Mr Miles Kupa, Australia’s HighCommissioner to Malaysia on 24 April 2012, at theSandakan Memorial Park, Sabah. Mr Kupa investedMr Sevee Charuruks AM as an Honorary Memberof the Order of Australia, for service to Australiaby restoring and maintaining the Kundasang WarMemorial and gardens to preserve the memoryof Australia’s fallen soldiers in Sandakan, Ranauand on the death marches. At the same ceremony,Mr Kupa invested Ms Catherin Chua AM as anHonorary Member of the Order of Australia forservice to Australia by providing assistance withcommemorative services in memory of Australia’sfallen soldiers in Sandakan.Establishment of the NationalPolice Service Medal and theNational Emergency MedalThe NPSM and the NEM were implementedduring 2011–12.The NPSM is awarded for ethical and diligentservice as a sworn member of an Australian policeservice, in recognition of the unique character ofservice required throughout a policing career. Policeofficers with a minimum of 15 years’ ethical anddiligent service on or after 30 October 2008 mayqualify for the NPSM.The NEM is awarded for sustained service forspecified time periods and places in response tonationally significant emergencies within Australia,or for significant service in response to suchemergencies. The National Emergency MedalRegulations 2011 were approved by Her MajestyThe Queen in October 2011. Within theseregulations the following two emergencies weredeclared nationally significant:• the bushfires that occurred in Victoria inFebruary 2009• the floods that occurred in Queensland inDecember 2010 and January 2011 and CycloneYasi in 2011.Approval for Australians to wearforeign awardsOver 5,900 awards bestowed on Australian citizensby foreign governments or international organisationswere approved by the Governor-General in 2011–12.The acceptance and wearing of foreign honours byany Australian citizen is subject to the permission ofthe Governor-General on the recommendation ofthe Prime Minister or responsible Minister. A requestto confer an honour or award on an Australian citizenwill be considered if it is made by the head of stateof the government of a country with which Australiamaintains diplomatic relations, or by a United Nationsagency or other international organisation recognisedby Australia. Almost 30 nations or organisationsrecognised Australian citizens in 2011–12, with themajority of awards coming from Timor-Leste, Malaysia,Papua New Guinea, the United States of America,France, Italy and Greece, and the North AtlanticTreaty Organisation.44 OFFICE OF THE OFFICIAL SECRETARY TO THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL